Yeah, I don’t know what to think. In an interview, the Reading GM said that they make less than 5% of their revenue on hats/shirts etc. and that they wouldn’t do a reboot and give up their tradition simply for that. Not to mention, they’ve got that whole “Baseballtown” alter ego thing going, and that has it’s own hats/jerseys.

so why then? why?

The only thing I can think of is that this has been mandated from the MLB above, somehow. Pure conjecture on my part, but it IS about hats and jerseys, just MLB. Think of it: they want you to buy a Phillies jersey from THE PHILLIES, not an MiLB Phillies jersey. It removes a memorabilia competitor from the MLB side. No more Yankees in SWB, you know. They’re all going this way and the local identity thing is nice–especially when an affiliate changes as in Syracuse.

Anyway, I hope it’s something good. And I wish I’d gotten one of those cool dark blue R hats like Matt got when we were there for the playoffs.

I am entirely convinced this is a greed and money grab. New shirts, new hats etc. Also jealousy because SWB has a new state of the art BP and are coming up w a new name. (Can’t let anything else beside a Finley team get attention, can we?).

The “re-branding” project will be directed by sports marketing firm Brandiose, who gave us such sensational team names as the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Phillies’ own Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Yes, my friends, sorry to burst your bubble but the Iron Pigs name was never created by a lowly fan, as otherwise proclaimed but a “branding company” who has come up with such “winners” as the Flying squirrels. Here’s the link to their website if you would like to see the rest of the vomit they excrete: http://www.brandiose.com/.

Scott Hunsicker, GM of the R-Phils has the same, “Let ’em eat cake.” attitude as the Iron (let’s add more seats) Pigs when he says, “We feel very, very comfortable with where we’re going to end up,” he said. “Honestly, the people who are upset, I believe, are really going to like everything once they see the whole thing laid out.” Uh no, we won’t…..

Hmm, just like we were expected to like the ugly mascots at CCP.

Can’t really argue with the opinion of Dave “Frenchy” Bauman, the longtime public address announcer who has been w the Reading Phillies since 1978 when he says this, “I’ve proudly been associated with the Reading Phillies since 1978,” Bauman wrote, “and I humbly submit that if the Reading Phillies name dies a part of me will go to the grave with it.”

The new club name, jerseys and hats will be revealed publicly Saturday, Nov. 17 at FirstEnergy Stadium from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m (Get it? new merch you will be encouraged to purchase to replace your defunct R-{hils gear.)

This new name change outrages fans; but since when did the fans concerns matter?

All I know is this stinks worse than any mushroom farm in Berks, shame on you R-Phils front office!